780 IX. TACCACE^. 



tiidinal dehiscence, inferior 3-celled ovary, and S dilated stigmas. They have also some connection with 

 Hcemodoracea (which see). 



Bwmanniee grow in damp and grassy soils, hut most of the other genera live in the shade of large 

 forests, on vegetable detritus, and are perhaps parasitical. They inhabit the tropical regions of Asia 

 and America, extending in the New World to 37° north latitude. They are also met with in Mada- 

 gascar. 



The herbs of this family are slightly hitter-astringent j they are not knpwii to possess any useful 

 property. 



IX. TACCACEJS. 



(Tacce^, Presl. — Taccace^, Lindl.) 



Flowees 5 . Perianth awperior, petaloid, d-merous, 2-seriate. Stamens 6 ; 

 FILAMENTS concave ; anthers adnate to their concave face. OvART inferior, 1-celled, 

 with 3 parietal placentas ; ovules numerous, anatropous or semi-anatropous. Beret, 

 Seeds numerous, albuminous. — Herbs with radical leaves; veins reticulate. 



Perennial stemless herbs with a tuberous rhizome. Leaves all radical ; petiole 

 serai-sheathing ; limh sometimes entire, sometimes palmisect or bipinnatifid, with 

 prominent nerves. Flowers 5 , regular, in an involucrate umbel on the top of a 

 simple cylindric or angular scape; involucre foliaceous, 4-phyllous; pedicels 1- 

 flowered, long, naked, several flowerless, elongated-filiform, or mixed with the fertile 

 ones. Perianth superior, petaloid ; segments 6, 2-seriate, equal or the iniier a little 



Tacca pinnatifida. Fructiferous brancli. 



